6C
SUNDAY, JUNE 29, 2008 |
7C
THE TUSCALOOSA NEWS
15. NorthRiver, par 4, 400 yards
17. Capstone, par 4, 449 yards The hole will get your attention and features a split fairway that will force a decision from the tee: Go for it on the right for a clear approach to the green or aim left for an easier drive that will result in a more difficult second shot over a large sand area that includes a large tree. The green is just as challenging, but if the pin is on the right the slope can be used to guide the ball toward the hole. Honorable mention: Ol'Colony, NorthRiver
The elevated tee shortens this scenic hole, which is all about the approach shot. Water protects the green in the front and left, and there's even a small bunker in the middle between the putting surface and water. The safe route is to hit the drive to the right side and then play to the center or right side of the green, but many will be tempted by a front or left pin placement where there's nearly no room for error.
18. Ol' Colony, par 4, 435 yards
Best COMPILED BY CHRIS WALSH STAFF GRAPHIC BY ANTHONY BRATINA
Tuscaloosa’s
No. 1 Indian Hills Country Club, par 4, 425 yards This signature hole is basically played in a ravine, with the tees and green at opposite ends, and a stream at the bottom. The uphill approach can be tricky without a good tee shot, and there's a bunker protecting the right side of the green. It's the No. 1 handicap hole on the course. Honorable mention: NorthRiver Yacht Club
18 Par 72,
No. 2 Capstone Club, par 4, 440 yards The elevated tee overlooks a wide and visually stunning fairway, which climbs dramatically with a blind approach to a high green that's the largest on the course. A big drive is a must, but you can cut the distance a bit on the right-hand side if you can maneuver around the numerous bunkers. Honorable mention: Indian Hills
Honorable mention: Indian Hills
While 17 is considered the signature hole, the course closes with this scenic finale that bends to the right around a lake, with the green at the tip. The putting surface has three distinct tiers that can make the last shot one of the most challenging. Honorable mention: NorthRiver, Country Club of Tuscaloosa
16. Capstone, par 3, 124 yards The short par 3 doesn't have any water, but is instead like an island surrounded by a lake of sand. Bunkers line the left, rear and right side of the green, and can be difficult to escape. If you're going to miss, do so long or short, not right or left. Meanwhile, the green features a tier that can make for a very interesting pin placement. Honorable mention: Ol' Colony, Country Club of Tuscaloosa, NorthRiver
14. Ol' Colony, par 5, 513 yards Although the 13th hole features water, the 14th bends left up to an elevated green that can be reached by some in two shots. However, getting that eagle can be tricky because the green features severe slopes, which combined with a difficult pin placement can be challenging to negotiate. Sand also lies to the front left of the putting surface.
8. Indian Hills, par 4, 315 yards Follows the challenging and scenic seventh. What it lacks in length, this hole makes up for in style as it's impossible to hit the green from elevated tees. That's because the hole is L-shaped and on the turn goes straight up to an elevated green, protected by bunkers. A solid tee shot should lead to a birdie opportunity, but missing the fairway could easily result in a bogey.
Honorable mention: Indian Hills
Honorable mention: Ol'Colony
6,622 yards
7. Woodland Forrest, par 4, 371 yards
12. NorthRiver, par 3, 160 yards
Although No. 16 is considered the signature hole on this course, the seventh is much more scenic and a more interesting challenge. The dogleg left features an elevated tee requiring a shot over a stream. If you play it correctly, the slope on the far side of the fairway can be used to gain extra yards for the approach to an elevated green that overlooks water.
This one's pretty simple and to the point. The shortest par 3 on the course is surrounded by bunkers and features an undulating green that slopes right to left and back to front. Miss the green and making par can be quite a challenge even without any water on the hole.
13. Country Club of Tuscaloosa, par 4, 285 yards How many chances do get to play a hole that features a train on active tracks? Usually the cars are parked to the right, which serves as out-of-bounds, but one needs to pay attention to the rest of the hole to avoid trouble. Formerly a par 5, it was shortened but still has water to the left and a tricky approach if the wind is gusting off the nearby river. Oh, there's also an alligator in the water.
Honorable mention: Indian Hills, NorthRiver
Honorable mention: Hidden Meadows, NorthRiver
Honorable mention: Capstone
5. NorthRiver, par 4, 423 yards This scenic hole features a rolling fairway surrounded by trees and very nice homes, down to a green that makes the approach shot challenging because it plays shorter than the yardage. Three bunkers line the sides in the middle of the fairway, with two more protecting the green on the right side. Honorable mention: Capstone
6. NorthRiver, par 3, 172 yards The signature par 3 features elevated tees and a green that is surrounded by water on three sides that leads up to defining rock wall. The back half of the green slopes toward the water, making a rear pin placement extremely difficult. The front of the green also slopes forward. In short, the hole is very bogey-friendly.
9. The Links at Tuscaloosa, par 4, 342 yards Easily the best hole on the course. Two trees stand like goalposts to the entrance of the fairway, which is rolling and slopes up on the left. Because the hole bends to the right prior to the green, one might be tempted to take a shortcut down the right side, but in the process could end up on the No. 1 fairway and then have to deal with a large protecting bunker. Wind from the nearby lake can also cause problems.
11. Indian Hills, par 3, 184 yards Some area golfers consider this the prettiest hole in the county. Water goes right up to the green, and if the pin is placed in the front there's very little room to maneuver. Oh, there's also sand to the left. It's sister hole, No. 14, features a slope on the front that gives the added bonus of seeing anything short roll down into the water.
Honorable mention: Country Club of Tuscaloosa, NorthRiver
Honorable mention: The Links at Tuscaloosa, Woodland Forrest Country Club, Country Club of Tuscaloosa, Ol'Colony
Honorable mention: Capstone, NorthRiver, The Links
10. Ol' Colony, par 5, 555 yards The long par 5 is complicated by a watery ditch down the middle, with a stream that originates from behind the rear right side of the green, and comes into play on the approach. There are also bunkers, but the green is large enough that they frequently won't come into play. Trees surround the hole, and missing wide to the right usually means a lost ball.
No. 3 Hidden Meadows Golf Course, par 5, 536 yards
No. 4 Capstone, par 5, 493 yards
Although course managers plan to switch to 18, for now it's the signature hole (with No. 13 possibly the prettiest hole on the course). The long par 5 has elevated tees, and it's best to avoid the left side despite water that will come into play on the right on the second shot. It, too, is the No. 1 handicap hole on the course.
The length isn't as big of a factor as the sand, which is seemingly everywhere. Although the long sandy area down the left side isn't that difficult to miss, there's also a bunker in the middle of the fairway, not to mention one that protects the right side. Long hitters can go for the green in two, but those laying up will have a tricky second shot.
Honorable mention: Country Club of Tuscaloosa, Ol'Colony, Capstone Club
Honorable mention: NorthRiver
Honorable mention: NorthRiver
600 yds